Six stores encompassing Orange and T-Mobile products being tested; three more Orange franchise stores to open next month

Everything Everywhere, the joint venture company behind Orange and T-Mobile, is trialling six dual branded stores to increase brand awareness and learn how the two work under one roof.

The six dual branded stores are in Tooting, Palmers Green, Hertford, Bridgend, Weston Super Mare and Dorchester and are a mix of existing Orange and T-Mobile retail outlets based in areas where one of the brands previously had a retail presence.

Each store will have a concession stand detailing the portfolio of either Orange or T-Mobile.

The dual branded stores also provide staff the ability to sell new products such as fixed broadband on Orange and prepay broadband on T-Mobile.

Everything Everywhere vice president of retail Andrew Coull said the trial was a great opportunity to increase brand awareness for the networks in new areas and to learn how the two can work together.

Coull also admitted there was a “possibility” more dual branded store trials would be opened but refused to speculate when.

Staff in each store have been trained to sell both brands. Coull insisted both brands remained competitive.

Coull said: “We are still working on the numbers for additional retail stores, but this is a big part of it. I want to learn about what this really means to our customers because the centre of this is to see how our customer benefit from the additional choice and the range and opportunity.

“How do our people in stores help customers on that journey and make sure they get exactly what they want and receive the benefits of Orange and T-Mobile when they enter our stores?

“If I can apply that learning then I think we have an opportunity none of our competitors have, which is very exciting”

In addition, Everything Everywhere confirmed it will open three more, currently unnamed, Orange franchise stores in December. The stores will be based in Letchworth, Leeds and Caerphilly.

The decision follows a “successful” trial in Bridlington with distributor Shebang last year.

Everything Everywhere confirmed more franchise stores would be opening next year.